DECATUR - The Decatur Area Asthma Coalition sponsored a workshop for parents of asthmatic children to network and learn more about the chronic disease caused by inflammation in the airways. For the handful of moms who showed up, the sense of camaraderie and the ability to share their experiences were welcome.

Dr. Beth Gibson, an allergist and immunologist who works out of Decatur Memorial Hospital's ENTA Allergy, Head and Neck Institute, spoke about common misconceptions people have about asthma and ways in which parents can help control their children's illnesses. Gibson stressed that parents should help their children maintain a positive outlook about the diagnosis.

"Something that we can tell our kids is that you don't have to sit at home because you have asthma," Gibson said. "You can participate in every sport, and we have good examples of this with Olympic athletes and with superstar athletes."

Asthma is on the rise in the United States, and 20 million people nationwide have been diagnosed with asthma at some point in their lives. It is the most common chronic illness among children, Gibson said, affecting about 7 percent of youngsters.

Gibson said that while asthma is a common condition, it still can be a deadly one. One hundred children in this country die from asthma each year, and Macon County was among the leading counties in Central Illinois for asthma hospitalization in 2005.

Gibson said the main goals in managing children's asthma are for them to be able to engage in all their favorite activities. They should be able to sleep, study and play if their asthma is well-controlled, she said.

"When asthma is uncontrolled, it's usually because people aren't diagnosed or don't know how to use their medication properly," Gibson said.

One important factor for parents to understand is the difference between controller medications, which are taken every day and do not take effect for four to six weeks, and rescue medications, which are quick-acting. Gibson said these treatments must be used correctly in conjunction with one another.

A simple solution to ensure that children get the proper dose of any inhaled aerosol medication is using a spacer - a plastic tube that helps youngsters who don't have the coordination to control the flow of medication and breathe it in at the same time.

Gibson also said parents should teach their children to be aware of the triggers that can exacerbate their asthma symptoms. Symptoms can appear as wheezing, shortness of breath, tightening in the chest and persistent coughing. They can include anything from allergies to the common cold to irritants or exercise.

"When a child comes to you and says, 'I think I'm having an asthma attack,' or 'my chest is tight,' it's really easy to look at them, and they look normal," Sara Davis, whose daughter has asthma, said. "If a child came to you and they were bleeding, you would immediately seek assistance because it's obvious that something is wrong."

Davis, who is involved with the asthma coalition, said it is important to listen to and respect children's knowledge of their triggers and symptoms and that a forum similar to Saturday's workshop could help parents and caregivers become more aware of the disease.

Michelle Towner, whose 3-year-old son, Coletin, was diagnosed with asthma when he was 6 months old, said the diagnosis frightened her at first. What seemed to be a lingering cold with terrible wheezing in Coletin's chest became a chronic problem Towner had to learn how to manage. She said she would attend any support event offered by the Decatur Area Asthma Coalition in the future.

"I've learned a lot, and I have a lot more to learn about it," Towner said. "The more that I learn about it and the more that we experience, the less stressed I am about it, and the more comfortable I am in the situation."

Annie Getsinger can be reached at agetsinger@herald-review.com or 421-6968.